Feliz Navidad
by Lady Dudley
Summary: I was going to post these separately but decided to put them together: Jackie has two very different Christmas experiences
1. Christmas Blues

**A/N: I felt like writing something Christmas-y and I had this song stuck in my head, so I thought I'd write something for it. The title is obviously from the song "Feliz Navidad" whilst the title for this chapter is from the Dean Martin song of the same name, it seemed appropriate. Hope you like!  
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**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

_**Christmas Blues**_

…  
><em>Oh, it won't seem like Christmas, oh, without you<br>Far too many miles are between  
>But if I get the one thing I'm waiting for<br>Well then I'll see you tonight in my dreams_

_Seems a long time since we've been together_  
><em>It was just about to this time of the year<em>  
><em>Looks like it's gonna be snowy weather<em>  
><em>How I wish that you could be here<em>

_But it won't seem like Christmas, oh, without you_  
><em>Far too many miles are between<em>  
><em>But if I get the one thing that I'm wishing for<em>  
><em>Then I'll see you tonight in my dreams<em>

_In the distance I hear sleigh bells ringing_  
><em>The holly is so pretty this year<em>  
><em>And the carol that somebody's singing<em>  
><em>Reminds me of our Christmas last year<em>  
>-'It Won't Seem Like Christmas Without You,' Elvis Presley<br>…

Jackie sat on the couch in her lounge room, wearing a Christmas hat and nursing a glass of red wine as she looked absently around the room.

All of her decorations were up, her Christmas cards sat on the mantle and the tree was glittering in the corner. Everything was as it should be.

But Jackie wasn't in the mood for celebrating.

She had dutifully gone through the motions at the office Christmas party: she'd danced with Robbie and shared some jokes with Stuart. She had even managed to stay until the wee hours of the morning before calling it a night.

Now, though, she could sit in the silence of her home and remember the one face she hadn't seen at the party.

The face she would never see again.

Today was the first Christmas since Michael's death and for the first time since she had met him, she was spending Christmas Eve alone.

She'd thought she was doing much better, that she was finally starting to put the pieces of her life back together now that she could no longer share it with her best friend. But that had been before she'd started to put up her Christmas decorations.

At first it had merely brought a twinge of sadness as she remembered other Christmases: like the year she'd dragged him out to go ice skating or when they had made snowmen before pelting each other with snowballs.

Then she had found the angel.

She remembered telling him once about the beautiful angel that her grandmother used to put on the top of the tree; how she'd been looking for one that was similar but had never found one that seemed right.

It had been a brief conversation and one that she had forgotten until the following Christmas when he had presented her with an angel for her tree.

He later confessed that it had taken him the better part of a year to find, but he had eventually found one and she was perfect.

Jackie still marvelled at how well she matched the description she'd given Michael.

But the worst had been when she found the sprig of mistletoe from last year's Christmas party; the one he'd kissed her under.

Oh, it hadn't been anything spectacular: just a peck on the cheek, but the look in his eyes had left her breathless.

She'd kept it as a reminder of that moment, never realising that it would prove to be their last Christmas.

She started a little as her phone rang: Robbie.

She knew that he and Stuart were going out for Christmas Eve drinks that night, but she couldn't face them. She bit her lip and pressed the reject button.

Tomorrow she would smile and enjoy the Christmas season, but tonight she would spend in solitude with her memories.

Tonight belonged to Michael.


	2. Christmas Joy

**A/N: After writing "Christmas Blues" I felt that Jackie deserved a happy Christmas too :) Hope you enjoy this one as well :)**

**_Christmas Joy_**

Jackie sat on the couch in the lounge room, wearing a Christmas hat and nursing a mug of hot chocolate as she surveyed the damage.

Home-made Christmas decorations were scattered around the room, Christmas paper littered the floor around the Christmas tree and the coffee table was covered in lollies and remains of Christmas crackers.

A loud snore drew her attention to the other occupant of the room: in the middle of all the chaos was Nelson, sound asleep.

She looked up as Michael entered the room, also in a Christmas hat and looking as exhausted as she felt, he flopped down on the couch next to her.

"Merry Christmas," she said with a smile.

"Ho-ho-ho," he replied half-heartedly, resting his head on the back of the couch and closing his eyes.

Jackie looked around the room again, "I guess we should clean up," she said after a moment.

Michael's only response was to groan.

Jackie poked him with her foot, "Come on Michael; get up," she coaxed.

"I'll get up when you do," he countered, his eyes still closed.

It was Jackie's turn to groan, "That's not fair," she grumbled.

"I'm just as tired as you are," he opened his eyes and turned his head to look at her, "can't we just leave it until tomorrow?"

"I thought you had to go back into work tomorrow," she said suspiciously.

"And your point?" he asked with a cheeky grin.

This time Jackie kicked him, "That's mean," she told him and he chuckled.

"I promise I will help you before I go," he said, "but can we just go to bed now? Katie woke me up at 4AM this morning."

"She woke me up then too!" Jackie protested.

"Then we both need our rest," Michael replied smoothly.

Jackie regarded him for a long moment, "All right," she conceded, "but can we at least get the dishes into the dishwasher?" she asked.

Michael nodded in agreement, "Seems fair," he said, heaving himself off the couch.

He stretched and held out his hand to her, Jackie looked up at him, "By 'we' I meant _you_," she told him.

Michael sighed and rubbed his eyes, "Why me?"

"You're the one standing," Jackie replied simply.

Michael pursed his lips and sent her a mock glare, "Slave driver," he muttered, turning to begin clearing the dishes.

"Scrooge," she teased cheerfully, taking another sip of her drink.

Michael stuck his tongue out at her as he carried a pile of dishes into the kitchen.

"I love you," she called after him.

"Whatever," he called back and she laughed as she settled back against the cushions.

She would help him in a minute, but she figured that being three months pregnant should give her some latitude. Besides _he_ was the one who had started the paper fight with the children.

Jackie smiled into her mug: it could be messy and chaotic, but she wouldn't trade her family Christmases for anything.

...

**A/N: I leave it up to you as to whether it's Ebony or Andrew who's on the way in this story :)**


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